Passengers would pay for more legroom

Have the world’s airlines gone an inch too far?
The trend of airlines cramming too many seats into planes and making sure every one of them is filled may have gone too far. Six out of 10 respondents in a new survey say they would pay extra for a bit more legroom.
Based on data from almost 3,500 travellers from 18 countries, the APEX 2015 Global Passenger Insights Survey reveals data on cabin comfort, inflight connectivity and entertainment.
“Given the option of adding space to increase seat comfort, where do passengers most want it?” he survey asks. “At their feet. […] The majority of travellers favour more legroom to stretch their limbs over a well-padded seat – and would even pay for extra inches.”
For travellers from Europe, North America, the Pacific Islands, Latin America and Africa, legroom is even more crucial than a comfortable seat. The survey cites this as being especially important for long-haul flights, economy flyers and heavy-set passengers.
Six out of 10 would even pay extra, and one third would shell out up to $10 or more for additional legroom. However, those from Asia and the Middle East sit differently on the issue, placing more value on a cushier seat and decent back support.
Following close behind legroom are two related areas – more distance between seatmates and a wider seat. Overhead storage and armrest space rank of least importance.
Space isn’t just a physical issue, it’s psychological too. The survey links increased distance between passengers with increased socialisation. Three-quarters of first-class passengers chat with their neighbours, compared to only half in economy. This seems to say that invasion of personal space can lead to social shutdown.
Wider seats may also have something to do with how much sleep you get on flights, with 76% of premium cabin passengers sleeping on their last flight compared to only 64% in economy and economy plus.TTG Nordic